1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to audiovisual systems and more particularly to a novel fully automatic continuous sound motion picture projection apparatus and the film therefor.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Audio-visual systems are finding increased use not only in the entertainment field for feature motion pictures but also in the fields of education, advertising and business. Of particular demand in each of these fields are audio-visual systems which are completely automatic and are capable of continuously presenting an audio-visual program without the necessity of constant operator supervision. Particularly in the field of advertising there is a great need for audio-visual systems of professional quality which can be used to repeatedly present to a transient audience a program of extended duration describing, for example, the products or services of a particular company. Also, in the field of education high quality fully automatic audio-visual systems are invaluable as teaching aids.
In the past, various devices have been developed for continuous presentation of audio-visual programs. In some of these devices the data carrying means, be it film, magnetic tape, punched tape, or the like, is run through the device and then is automatically rewound for a subsequent replay. This is undesirable because of the delay in rewinding and the resulting interruption of the program. In other types of prior art apparatus, the data carrying means is formed into an endless loop and run continuously through the apparatus along a circuitous path. This approach has proven generally unsatisfactory for many applications because unless the apparatus is unduly large, data strips such as punched tapes, 16mm film, and the like, cannot withstand continuous travel along the circuitous path without damage or fatigue resulting in breakage of the data strip.
The apparatus of the present invention solves the problems inherent in the prior art devices through the use of a novel data carrying means or data strip having first and second side by side data tracks, one of which carries the first half of the program and the other of which carries the second half of the program. The apparatus includes a plurality of data sensors for sensing the data carried by the data tracks and transforming it into perceptible form, and drive means for moving the data strip past data sensors first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. At the start of the program, the sensors are aligned with one data track on the data strip. When the data strip reaches a point near its first end, the drive means is automatically reversed so as to drive the data strip in a reverse direction. Simultaneously. the sensors are automatically shifted into alignment with the second data track and as the data strip moves past them in the reverse direction function to transform the data which comprises the second half of the program into perceptible form. Upon the data strip reaching its point of beginning, the drive means is again reversed, the sensors shifted into alignment with the first data track and the program rerun from its beginning. This process will continue automatically, enabling continuous presentation of the program.
For advertising displays and the like, a timer can be used to automatically start and stop the apparatus at predetermined intervals. To prevent damage to the equipment should the data strip break, an automatic shutdown mechanism is built into the apparatus.